TIDBITS / NEWS / EVENTS

I am having a blast getting prepared to tour on my Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro. Now I am turning my attention to my apparel. When touring you must be able to handle extremes such as cold, heat and rain. Choosing the best gear that can handle all three and that can be packed in the limited amount of space on the bike is a real challenge.
 
For me cold is actually the easy one. I have an electrically heated jacket liner and electric gloves from Venture Heat. They work phenomenally well and pack very small when you’re not using them. Wearing those along with a neck warmer and my Triumph touring jacket and pants, I’m good to ride in really cold temperatures. Rain gear is a decision I have yet to make. If it is cold then no problem, I will just wear my touring jacket and pants with my touring boots that are waterproof. If it is hot and raining, then a lighter jacket with a light rain suit is a consideration. More on this decision later. Heat is the tough one. I normally wear a perforated light jacket with armor inserts for elbows, shoulders and back, as well as Ugly Bros riding pants, touring boots and light gloves. Still deciding if this is the best choice for me.
 
The trick is to figure out how to pack all of this, plus clothes and the miscellaneous stuff needed for a long trip. I am a Marriott camper, so camping gear is not necessary for me.
 
This is so much fun (and really confusing), so stay tuned and I will let you know how it turns out.
Paint it black: Triumph take the Rocket 3 to the dark side with two limited-editions
Triumph have kept the steady trickle of new 2021 models going with two special-edition Rocket 3s. Based on the sporty R and the more relaxed GT, the R Black and GT Triple Black are designed to be the ultimate answer to the question: does it come in black?
There’s a long list of changes but first, let’s look at what stays the same – the insane powerplant.

At the heart of both bikes is the 2500cc triple carried over from the standard Rocket 3 models, which pumps out an impressive 165bhp @ 6000rpm. But the Rocket is really all about torque, with that gigantic engine producing a tarmac-tearing 146.5lb.ft at just 4000rpm. Then again, it is the largest production motorcycle engine so far.
Wired to this huge motor is an impressive electronics suite that includes everything from the latest safety aids, such as cornering ABS and lean sensitive traction control, to luxury creature comforts such as cruise control and smartphone connectivity.
LIMITED EDITION DUCATI DESERT SLED FASTHOUSE ANNOUNCED
Ducati has announced a new model from the Land of Joy, as the Desert Sled Fasthouse is announced

The bike is in celebration of Ducati and the hip fashion brand Fasthouse taking victory in the Hooligan class of the Mint 400 desert race. Riding the highly modified machine in the race was experienced off-road rider Jordan Graham, and while we were excited to see what the new bike had got up its sleeve, it quickly dawned on us that there hasn’t been that much done it.

Distinguishing the bike from a stock Desert Sled is a bespoke paint job that is said to perfectly replicate that of the racer used in the Mint 400. It also features a plate bearing the series number of the machine and only 800 will be built.
The seat is also said to be new, giving the Fasthouse a tweaked riding position, and it features a handy non-slip covering – great for those ‘code brown’ moments.

And, well, that’s about it from what we can see. The suspension, engine, brakes, frame, and pretty much everything else are all as per the stock and standard machine.
Well, there actually might be a little bit more to it than that. Obviously, Fasthouse wasn’t going to let this one roll out of the door without them getting their bite of the pie. So, joining the bike is, what Ducati and Fasthouse are calling a ‘Capsule Collection’. It’s chock full of funky threads and theirs more tartan lining than you could shake hipster at.
MOTORCYCLE / E-BICYCLE OF THE WEEK
(714)256-6700 socalmotorcycles.com